Woolgoolga

North Coast

The coastal town of Woolgoolga is known for its beaches, whale watching and views of the stunning Solitary Islands, it is also known for its Sikh temples and large Sikh population.

B Grouping

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Location

Woolgoogla is approximately 550 km (6 hr drive) north from Sydney. It is 26 km (25 min drive) from the regional centre of Coffs Harbour and 60 km (45 min drive) from Grafton.

Banana and blueberry plantations surround Woolgoolga, it was the banana farms that attracted Sikh workers to the town. Woolgoolga's large Sikh population is reflected in the local Indian restaurants and Curryfest a popular festival of food, music and dancing.

How to get there

The closest regional airport is Coffs Harbour Airport, 30 min drive south of Woolgoolga. The airport is serviced by Fly Corporate (flights to Brisbane), Tiger Air (flights to Melbourne and Sydney), Qantas (flights to Sydney) and Virgin Australia (flights to Sydney).

Coffs Harbour is also serviced by NSW TrainLink with northbound trains to Brisbane and southbound trains to Sydney daily.

Population

Woolgoolga is home to nearly 5000 people, the median age of residents is 47 years. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 4% of the population.

Healthcare facilities

The nearest hospital is Coffs Harbour Health Campus, a 30 min drive from Woolgoolga, it is the major referral hospital for the Coffs Network of the Mid North Coast Local Health District. It is a 292 bed facility and provides a broad range of services including day surgery, planned and emergency theatre service, coronary care (including coronary angiography unit), intensive care, obstetrics, paediatrics, 24-hour emergency department, oncology, palliative care, rehabilitation, stroke, acute renal dialysis, high dependency and mental health and an extensive range of outpatient clinics. A range of allied health services are also available on the campus.

There is an Ambulance Service of NSW station in Woolgoolga.

Accredited GP practices

Beach Street Family Practice

Industry

The major industry sectors employing residents of Woolgoogla are: berry fruit growing, other social assistance services, supermarket and grocery stores, other agriculture and fishing support services and primary education.

Childcare

Woolgoolga and surrounds offers a range of childcare options including out of school hours care, long day care, family day care and pre-school. There are additional options available in Coffs Harbour.

Shopping

In Woolgoolga there is a Woolworths supermarket, Asian and Indian grocers, Mitre 10 and a variety of specialty and boutique stores, cafes and restaurants. Nearby Coffs Habour offers a wide range of shopping experiences from boutique shopping by the waterfront to shopping centres such as Park Beach Plaza containing more than 120 specialty shops and major stores including Target, Big W, Woolworths, Supa IGA, Aldi and JB Hi-Fi.

Places of worship

In Woolgoogla there are places of worship for a range of Christian denominations including Anglican, All Nation Churches, Baptist, Catholic, Christian Life Centre, Jehovah’s Witness and Presbyterian. There are two Sikh temples in Woolgoolga. The nearby centre of Coffs Harbour offers further options including an Islamic musallah and Buddhist community.

Points of interest

Woolgoolga's architectural landmark is Guru Nanak Sikh Temple. Starting at the temple, the Woolgoolga Heritage Walk features 16 attractions over 4 km, and makes its way into town and to the Solitary Island Coastal Walk. Natural landmarks include Woolgoolga Headland (also known as Whale Watch Headland) a great place to spot migrating humpback whales. Local events include Curryfest and the Blues and Berries Festival, many local events in the area are listed in the Coffs Coast Event Directory.

Sporting activities

There is a large range of sporting facilities, sporting clubs and teams in Woolgoogla including athletics, rugby league, swimming, archery, croquet, tennis, soccer, hockey and surfing.

Further information

While the Australian Government Department of Health has contributed to the funding of this website, the information on this website does not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Government and is not advice that is provided, or information that is endorsed by the Australian Government. The Australian Government is not responsible in negligence or otherwise for any injury, loss or damage however arising from the use of or reliance on the information provided on this website.